Just as Granny Liu was feeling sad about Xiao Ling's impending departure in a few days, Shen Yuan, who had only been gone a short while, returned with several people behind her, carrying a large bed into the pharmacy.
Hearing the commotion, Granny Liu ran out and saw that Shen Yuan had bought another wooden bed. She asked, "Yuan Yuan, why did you buy another bed?"
"Give it to Xiao Ling."
"Didn't you say he wouldn't stay here for long? Why did you buy him a bed?"
“It’s cold, and I’m worried that he’ll catch a chill sleeping on the floor and that it will worsen his condition. Besides, he taught me a lot of new words today and did me a great favor, so I’m buying him a bed as a way of thanking him. In addition, this bed isn’t just for him; other patients can use it after he’s gone.”
Shen Yuan rattled off three reasons in one breath.
Granny Liu agreed with this reasoning and said no more.
Shen Yuan directed the people to carry the purchased bed into the woodshed.
As soon as she entered the woodshed, she noticed that the bed Xiao Ling had slept on last night was a makeshift bed made on a haystack. She had returned from the mountains too late last night and had only managed to buy two quilts, so she had told Xiao Ling to make do for the night.
But Shen Yuan knew that Xiao Ling's health could not be taken lightly any longer. He was already very lucky that he had not developed a high fever due to infection from such a serious injury. She could not let him catch a cold.
She wandered around the city and asked several carpenters, but none of them had new finished beds. The fastest they could do was to wait ten days. So, in the end, she bought an old bed that someone else didn't want anymore.
The bed was carried into the woodshed, and Shen Yuan took the quilt from the straw pile and put it back on the bed, saying, "You'll be more comfortable sleeping on the bed tonight."
Xiao Ling nodded slightly as a way of thanking him.
The atmosphere in the woodshed was a little awkward with only the two of them there. Shen Yuan couldn't help but think about what happened that morning. She touched her nose and said, "I'll go out and settle the bill for them!"
After Shen Yuan left, Xiao Ling lay on the bed fully clothed, and just as the little girl had said, he did feel much more comfortable.
As night fell, Shen Yuan took advantage of the fact that Granny Liu and Xiao Ling had fallen asleep, packed the leftover food from the day into a food box, put on a black cloak, and went out alone with the food box.
She carried the food box and walked along the long street until she reached the entrance of the government office.
Shen Yuan sat down at a tavern opposite the yamen and saw two yamen runners drinking. She asked the waiter to give them an extra plate of beef and put the bill on her tab.
When the yamen runner saw the beef that the waiter had just brought over, he turned to look at Shen Yuan and waved to her.
Shen Yuan then stepped forward, her sleeves hanging down on the edge of the table, leaving behind a few taels of loose silver.
The constable immediately rolled up the money in his sleeve and said to Shen Yuan, "Come with me!"
Shen Yuan tugged at the brim of her hat to cover her face completely, then followed the yamen runner through the side gate of the yamen.
Before she arrived, she had inquired with her neighbors about the ins and outs of the yamen (government office), and knew that two yamen runners would be waiting at the tavern every day. As long as she paid, they would do whatever she wanted.
Shen Yuan longs to see Chu Yuning.
I heard that ever since he was arrested at the Four Seasons Teahouse that day, he has been locked up in the government jail. No one has come to redeem him, so he can only stay in jail and can't get out.
Shen Yuan wanted to see his current fate with her own eyes.
Following the two constables, Shen Yuan was soon taken into the cell. The constables rudely instructed her, "You only have the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. When the time is up, come out on your own. Don't wait for us to urge you!"
Shen Yuan lowered his head: "This humble subject understands!"
In the corner cell, there were no windows, and the light was so dim that you could only see a figure huddled against the wall. He was curled up on a pile of straw, not daring to move, as if he was disgusted by the filthy cell.
But clearly, his cell wasn't much cleaner than this one.
In just a few days, Chu Yuning seemed like a completely different person.
His usually glossy hair was now covered in clumps of straw, hanging down his back like a messy, curly-haired beggar at the village entrance. His clothes were so dirty that their original color was no longer visible, and he had completely lost his previous spotless, scholarly air.
Shen Yuan thought to herself, "So that prodigy who passed the imperial examination at the age of twelve and was praised by everyone for his extraordinary talent is nothing special after all!"
Aside from knowing a few more words, he was no different from an ordinary person. Without the scholarly filter, he was even less capable than an ordinary person. At least ordinary people can adapt to their environment and struggle to survive.
Chu Yuning became despondent after suffering a setback; she's truly useless!
"Go in!" The constable unlocked the door and opened the cell door.
Hearing the noise, Chu Yuning looked towards the cell door.
Upon recognizing Shen Yuan, Chu Yuning excitedly scrambled to her feet. "Yuan Yuan! Yuan Yuan! I knew you'd come to see me! Did you come to take me out? That's wonderful, you've finally come!"
Shen Yuan did not respond. She walked up to Chu Yuning and placed the food box on the ground.
Seeing her action, Chu Yuning lowered her head in disappointment. "Can't you get me out of here? I'm innocent! I only broke a table, why are those people keeping me locked up for so long?"
"Chu Yuning, don't you understand?"
Shen Yuan squatted down, took out all the food from the food box and placed it on the ground, saying slowly, "Your reputation is ruined now, Ziyun Academy doesn't want you. Your mother was forced to death by your family, and you have very few relatives left. Apart from your aunt, no one will bail you out. If you can't pay the compensation, you can only stay in this prison and never get out!"
Chu Yuning, pale and ashen, staggered backward. No! Impossible! How could he not get out? He still had to participate in next year's autumn imperial examination!
He has to get out!
Chu Yuning rushed forward and grabbed Shen Yuan's outer robe: "Yuan Yuan, aren't you rich? That table only cost fifty taels. You can pay for it for me! Consider it a loan. When I pass the imperial examination, I will repay you double!"
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